Chapter 40: Damon's POV
When I drop off Bella, I don't go in to chat with Charlie. I'm too busy sitting in my car, thinking.
Thinking about Bella's story.
Thinking about my life.
Thinking about that kiss. That kiss that I can't get out of my head.
It's been plaguing me, making sure that my mind never thinks of anything else, and because of that, I've been glued to Bella's side ever since. And I want to be there now. I don't want to leave her.
I rub my hands over my eyes and scream.
It's scary how much Bella has become my life.
What scares me the most is that I want to tell her things. I want to tell her everything. About Katherine. About Stefan. I want to tell her that I'm tired; so very, very tired. I want to tell her that I can't stop thinking about her. And I want to tell her that I want her. I really, really want her.
Forever—
And that thought makes my undead heart thump so loudly that I can barely stand it. The very thought of not having her around—well, it drove me to throw a man off a balcony without caring who could have seen.
I'm out of my car before I can blink. And before I can tell my mind not to, I'm at Bella's window, opening it slowly to let myself in.
I'm not a complete creeper, though.
She hears me enter.
She turns around, her brown eyes bright with shock, her damp hair hanging loosely around her shoulders. She must have taken a shower when I was having my eternal debate.
I don't mind.
Not at all.
Sure, she had looked beautiful all dressed up and pretty. But in simple sweatpants and an Arizona t-shirt, she looked stunning.
"Damon, what are you doing here?" She asks.
I don't know, Bella. I don't know why I'm here.
"I thought…I thought I could stay here tonight," I finally manage to say. "Just…"
"Ok," she says, saving me from having to talk again. "I was just about to go to bed anyways."
I smile because this is perfect.
I follow Bella into her room, feeling a strange mix of nerves and excitement. She gestures for me to sit on her bed while she goes about preparing for sleep. I watch her, feeling like a teenage boy with a crush, unsure of what to do next.
She settles into bed beside me, and for a moment, neither of us speaks. The air is charged with unspoken tension, and I can feel my heart pounding in my chest.
"I'm glad you're here," Bella says softly, breaking the silence.
"Yeah, me too," I reply, my voice barely above a whisper.
I lie down beside her, careful not to invade her space. But then she turns towards me, her eyes searching mine, and before I know it, our lips meet in a soft, tentative kiss.
It's different from the passionate embrace we shared earlier. This kiss is slow, tender, filled with all the unspoken emotions swirling between us. And in that moment, I know that I want to be with Bella. Not just for tonight, but for eternity.
As we pull away, I can see the uncertainty in her eyes, the same uncertainty I'm feeling. But then she smiles, a small, hesitant smile that lights up her face, and I know that everything is going to be okay.
I wrap my arms around her, pulling her close, and together, we drift off to sleep, knowing that no matter what tomorrow brings, we'll face it together.